Acker was born in Dallas, Texas, the daughter of Rodney Acker, a lawyer, and Judy Bruyere, a housewife.She is the oldest of four children. Acker studied ballet, modern dance, and jazz dance for 13 years. She underwent knee surgery while in high school, ending her ballet career, and she began to study acting in her sophomore year. She enrolled at Southern Methodist University in 1995 to take advantage of that school's renowned theatrical program.
